A Night to Remember
by stuck-in-tv
Summary: It's time for the last and most important dance: Prom! Can the supernatural leave them alone for just one night? Or is this dance as doomed as the rest of them? Follows 3x18...my take on 3x19
1. Chapter 1

**In waiting for the next episode (it's sooo long away!) I decided to write my own version of what I hope will happen, this is mainly Klaroline centric, but hey a girl can dream!**  
**I don't own anything! (I'm just a poor girl from a poor family)**

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Ticked off could not even begin to describe how she was feeling. As soon as school had got let out, she didn't even say her usual polite good-byes to anyone, she ran as fast as she could to her room. School had been simply unbearable today, and not just because she hadn't been there in almost two weeks (hey, there's a huge supernatural battle for the elusive cure) and had only a fake doctors note to rely on (stupid vervained water). No, as if she didn't have enough to deal with, she was painfully reminded at every turn that this weekend was prom; and from the rather tacky posters plastered all over the school, she had came to the conclusion that someone had filled in for her while she was away.  
As the head of the committee it was supposed to be her job to pick the theme, the band, the decorations, and just about any major thing that would make this dance unforgettable. Of course, thanks to all the supernatural drama no one even bothered to ask for her approval on any of it, they probably all hoped she died or something. _Well bad news bitches, I'm still here. And stuck with a horrible prom to fix,_ she thought to herself. Judging by the rather cliché, and not to mention last years prom theme, Monte Carlo, she had a good idea on who took over her reign, oh and she was going to have more than a few choice words with her after all of this.

It was also the job of the committee head to hold a fundraiser if they thought they needed to have more money than the school allotted for prom. By piggybacking on last years theme, and very likely using the same decorations, Caroline had no doubt that Amy decided to forgo the fundraiser. Wonderful, not only was she working from virtually nothing at all, she had no money to accomplish anything. She was now left with the decision to change the theme, or change the band. Tacky gambling or Black Absidia, a crappy local band Caroline was pretty sure Amy was trying to get with the drummer of. _Tackiness and fungi_ she cringed inwardly at the realization.

With only a few days for damage control she realized that she only had one option short of a miracle, and her one option may just be worse than current plans for prom: Klaus. Since everyone in town was now on vervain she couldn't simply just compel the principal into getting her more funds as well as compelling the whole committee to simply forget the crummy theme they all originally came up with in favor of her idea. No, she needed someone with money and more influence than herself. As much as she would deny saying it, Klaus's good looks and accent was going to get her exactly what she needed.

Unfortunately, she would have to ask him for his help, which would involve talking to him and bargaining with him. Neither of which were on the top of her things she wants to do list. Whatever, this was prom dammit, and she'd be damned if she was going to let anything stop her from creating a great last dance to be remembered by.  
Throwing herself on her bed, she stared at her phone, willing herself to pick it up and make that dreaded phone call to him. She supposed she could remind him that she helped pull that imaginary white oak dagger out of his back, and got Silas out of his head. If situations were reversed, she knew without a doubt that he'd bring something like that up, anything to remind her that she was in his debt. But that would require stooping to his level, as well as reconfirming his belief that the two of them are the same, and she refused to believe that.  
Finally, after about five or so more minutes of a rather conflicting inner monologue, she picked up her phone and dialed his number. After the first few rings, she caught herself vainly hoping it'd go to voicemail and she'd be able to give her spill without him contradicting her or trying to craftily persuade her to change her mind. Which in actuality did not take much effort on his part, that dang accent.  
She realized it was a fairly vain hope; especially considering she knew that as soon as he saw it was her number he'd pick up. _Well, here goes nothing._

"Caroline, to what do I owe the pleasure of your call?" Why did he have to sound so damned pleased about talking to her?  
"I need a favor," no sense in beating around the bush she supposed.  
"I was under the impression that favors were done out of friendship and a mutual liking for the other, neither of which I am sure applies to us," he said rather haughtily, as if he was preoccupied with something else.

Of course, she knew this wasn't going to be easy. She had prepared for this actually, what she hadn't prepared for was how soon she got aggravated with him. It had been a long day, and she so did not need this.

"What do you want?" She knew what he wanted: a date, or rather to be her escort. She actually had been planning on this, as she had zero time to find anyone good in this short of time, especially with all the last minute planning she's going to have to do. Not that she thought Klaus was good, just the best of the short list of guys available as a last minute date. The way she saw it, she'd be able to pay him back and have a date for the dance so she didn't end up as one of those 'taking myself to the prom' people.

"Well sweetheart, I was actually planning on asking you in a more romantic way, but since you're in such a dire situation, I'll ask now: Would you be so kind as to allow me to escort you to your prom love?" The way he asked about took her breath from her. That had to have been the most intimate way she's been asked to a dance, and he didn't even ask her in person. Damn him.

"Of course you already knew that," he continued on," I'd also like for you to admit that you feel something for me other than hate."

"Unbelievable, no way!" The nerve of him!

"Now, now love, we both know I'm your only option for this dance, seeing as young Lockwood is M.I.A. and all, and even if he weren't his heart would be on my mantle, which last time I checked was clear of anything. The way I see it we were going together, favor or not."

.Bastard.

"Fine! You know what? Sometimes I have feelings for you! Sometimes I find you so unbelievable attractive and don't understand what you see in me! But you know what else? Usually you go on and ruin any weak moment I'm having with that pompous attitude of yours!" She was now fuming.

"Not quite the admittance I wanted, but we'll work on it love. Now what is it that I can help you with?"

Right, the favor, she had almost forgot, "Well in short, I need your money and your charm," nailed it.

"Get in line love," she could hear the contentment in his voice," I'll be over shortly then." And with that, he hung up the phone.  
Breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth, Caroline kept reminding herself that this was her last shot at an unforgettable dance, and as the last few dances hadn't exactly been anything she wanted to remember, this had to be right. She was Caroline Forbes damn it! She could so handle -  
"Hello love,"

Holy hell.

**Thoughts? Comments? Opinions? I hope to get the next Chapter up tomorrow! **


	2. Chapter 2

Yet again, Stefan was alone in the giant house he co-owned with his brother, drinking a bottle of scotch. He was halfway through the bottle and still felt the head-splitting ache behind his right eye. He needed to feed, and although he had gone out earlier, the two deer hadn't seemed to suffice. It was the stress, he knew it, and it was taking a toll on him physically and mentally. He had exhausted any idea, and almost what hope he had left, to get Elena's humanity back.

It didn't help that the only experience he had with the humanity switch involved a particular blonde by the name of Lexi and a lot of blood shed, neither of which he had readily available to him, nor did he want Elena to have to live with the guilt of taking innocent lives. Elena's whole persona was based on love and compassion, if he got her back after a mass blood shed, he would probably lose her just a quick.

He had thought vainly at first, that Elena's feelings for Damon could quite possibly push her back. Of course, logically, he knew that any feeling other than pure animalistic lust was left in the changeover.

After Damon's and his run in with Elijah and Katherine, Stefan spent a few days researching Elena's family tree. Looking for a great aunt or long lost cousin, someone familiar to her to get her to realize there's still blood family somewhere who at least somewhat cares about her. Of course, that all turned up blank, what with her biological mother and father's shady pasts, and little lead to go on from her mom and dad's side. He sighed, rubbing his forehead in a last attempt to make the pain go away, he was going to have to find a blood bag. If he kept this up, the local blood banks would start to notice how scarce a supply they now have.

Getting up to go to the fridge, he walked past the front door, which opened to show Damon.  
"So, what's the plan brother?" Damon asked walking into the house, throwing his car keys on a nearby table. He'd been gone for a few days; Stefan hadn't seen him since they parted ways in Pennsylvania, and, Stefan was none too happy about this. He knew that this was a typical Damon move, whenever stuff gets too heavy; he leaves for a few days and acts reckless. Maybe because he was so desperate to get Elena back that this bothered Stefan more than usual, or maybe the headache that pouring over books and journals by himself in hopes to find family, left him with a bad taste for Damon's run-away style.

No surprise Damon's plan for Elena had failed, and although Stefan never expected it to, any possibility of Elena returning to her usual self was well worth the try of a less than great half-cooked idea. Of course, Damon's questioning of a plan meant that Damon had thought of another one.

Stefan went back to where he was seating and poured him some more scotch, no way could he drink a whole blood bag in front of Damon.  
"Plan? Oh I thought that was you're department, what with her being your girlfriend and all. I was planning on just sitting back and watching it all happen," he said sarcastically, "but oh wait, your amazing plan failed didn't it?"

"Ick, someone forgot to tell me that broody Stefan was back," Damon said, rolling his eyes, which landed on a football nearby. On impulse he picked it up and threw it at Stefan, who knows, maybe he was hoping it'd knock that stupid amused smirk of his face.

Naturally, Stefan caught it.  
"A football? Gee Damon, I didn't think that was quite you're style, don't you usually go for some innocent sorority girls?" Stefan tossed it back.

"Need I remind you that this is one of the many trashy remains of a crazy party you decided to throw here courtesy of Elena."

The two of them threw the football back and forth a few moments, both of them thinking of the situation they were in.

"Please tell me you have a plan," Damon finally said.

"I was under the impression that we were still using plan 'Show Elena how awesome it is to not have her humanity in hopes she'll want to turn her back on' maybe the second times the charm?"

"Touchy, touchy little brother"

"We have to show her why it's worth feeling," Stefan said in all seriousness, "she has to choose for herself that she wants to experience emotions."

"So what? We buy her a puppy? Oddly enough I don't see that working out," Damon said, at a loss for any idea as to what would make Elena want to flip the switch on again, hell he barely wanted to have his humanity switch on.

"There has to be something," Stefan said trailing off as he heard a noise coming from the front door. Next thing he knew, Elena was standing in front of the two of them, luggage in both hands.

"Hi boys, mind if I come in? Didn't think so," she said walking over to the glass of scotch Stefan hadn't finished. Setting down her luggage, she sat down on the couch and chugged the remaining liquid down. Grinning deviously, she asked the one question that both simultaneously shocked and made the Salvatore brothers smile with an idea:

"So which one of you dapper gentleman is taking me to prom?"

"Alright, so I will go handle to principal, meanwhile you need to do damage control with the committee in the gym," Caroline told Klaus. It was after school the day following her request for a favor from him. She had been in constant contact with him through out the day, explaining to him the materials she needs as well as the people he's going to have to help her deal with. Unsurprisingly and annoyingly enough, Klaus had interjected his thoughts on her comments. Though she'd never tell him, a few of them weren't so bad, and she had even given in to her suggestion for who the replacement band should be, though she had never heard of them. She guessed she trusted that after living a thousand years he'd know what good music is, and at any rate she had a lot more problems to deal with.

"Yes, yes, flash them a smile, sweet talk a few of them, and the rest shall follow, am I missing anything love?" He picked fun of her, he had been told over and over again what it was exactly he would do, and how he would do it. He had also been told that he was under no reason at all to start, as she said, "handing out million dollars bracelets and ponies," to anyone, and to, "fight any fairy-tell fetish urge." Not that he would dare cross her when she was in a mood like this, but when it came to getting Caroline what she wants, he'd buy them all much more to get them to play along with her idea. She could be ever bit as demanding as he could be, one of the many traits he admired about her.

"You're doing it again, can you just… just go to the committee, okay?" She was beyond stressed out, and not to mention a little bit nervous, after all she was the one who was going to try to talk the principal out of what he thinks is a "perfectly good prom." Okay, so she had tried talking to him once today already, not that Klaus needed to know that, no she was perfectly capable of doing _some _stuff on her own.

She had spent what part of her day that wasn't preoccupied with listening to teachers rant on about their topics or discussing prom matters with Klaus, prepping a presentation to give to the principal. She just knew she could talk him into letting her change the theme her plan was flawless.

She arrived at the principal's office at her scheduled appointment time and knocked before going in, she could hear that he was alone.

"Caroline, to what to I owe this second visit of the day?"

She went into her spill, explaining in great detail how the theme of gambling was much too inappropriate for a high school, how it promotes spending money crassly, as well as how gambling is always associated with sex, which is again, a highly inappropriate idea that would upset the parents who help pay for this. Then she went on and shot down the band set to play, explaining to him that not only are they tone deaf, but there main songs feature themes of violence and hardcore partying. The latter she actually had no knowledge of, like she'd ever want to listen to a band named after a fungus, but she knew that anyone who agreed to a measly $200 for the night couldn't be good.

In the end though, she didn't win out.  
"Listen, I agree with you on all those points, but it is just a dance after all, and you only have two more days at any rate…" Caroline wasn't listening to him; she was too busy looking at a piece of paper that looked very much like an expense report. Judging by the looks of it, this year's prom was saving the school hundreds. Damn it all, there was no way she could compete with that low budget... Unless, ugh she was so going to regret this.  
"Listen, Mr. Nitashi, I understand your concern, however I forgot to mention the most important part: I've actually found a donor who's willing to give the money to change the theme. You see, it's a parent of someone who goes here, and he is very concerned about the whole gambling thing." That got his attention.

After a few more minutes of talking logistics, he relented, explaining that if no more money was to have to come from the school, she could go ahead with her plans.

Well, that was the easy part, she thought to herself, now all I have to do is explain to Mr. Hybrid that the couple hundred and a few strings I needed has now blown to a full thousand. She walked to the gym, which caught her completely by surprise: it was almost empty. He had actually managed to change their minds, from the looks of it, in a few short minutes. She hated him even more at that thought.

"I figured we should go ahead and get it cleared out as I had no doubt that principal would say yes to you," she had to fight the urge to punch him, he was just so smooth.

"How'd you convince them so fast? I thought it'd take a little longer with the girl who dreamt up this whole idea."

Truth be told he simply walked in and offered them each $100 to ditch what they were currently working on and tear it all down. From what he gathered, none of them much cared enough to turn the offer down.

"They drove a hard bargain but in the end they caved," he said allusively.  
"I'm not even going to ask, and anyways, you're kind of the sole sponsor of this dance now…" she said that last part quickly.

"I didn't quite catch that last part love."

"Um well, you're now the sole sponsor of this dance."

"Lovely, then might I suggest a more fitting theme for lady like yourself."

Yep, she was already regretting this.

"And that would be?" She didn't quite know if she wanted to hear his answer.

"Le Jardin de me amour," he gave her a wicked grin.

When her mind immediately conjured up a picture of the two of them at a candlelight dinner in a garden, she finally admitted to herself that she was in way over her head. Not only did what he said sound way hotter than it quite possibly should have, she found herself longing for that date.

My,my, we are in trouble.

**I want to thank the people who followed this! I got over 350 views in a day (that's NEVER happened in my history of fanfic). Also I got to 2000 words! A new personal best for a chapter! So, comment if you'd like I'll try to have the next chapter up soon! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry this took so long to update, I really need to stay away from spoilers, they've really been eating away at my Klaroline inspiration! Enough! I will ship these two until they die! Thank you so much to those who reviewed, it really meant a lot to me! And to all those following a favorite-ing, I could hug you!**

_The next day,_

Sifting through dresses, Bonnie couldn't help but think this whole experience felt rather surreal. She couldn't believe that she was actually going to do something as normal as prom. She finally understood how Elena felt in the beginning of all this chaos: how can you do such a normal atypical high school thing after experiencing the cacophony of events that just happened. To Bonnie, the paranormal world was her new normal world, a thought which both terrified and brought a certain piece to her.

In a way she guessed it was a good thing she was getting used to all this, the less stress she had the easier it was to control her rather volatile magic. By getting used to it, she found she no longer physical ached for the days when she was her normal non-witchy self, and the whole town wasn't infested with vampires; well that she knew of. It was good to know she was adapting. But she also felt a great sadness for the loss of her innocence, rather like a person feeling the nostalgia of their childhood days where eating dirt seemed like a great idea. It terrified her to think that one day she may look in the mirror and not even recognize the person she had became; a person hardened by the death of so many, a person who is immune to pain, sadness, grief, and suffering. In a way she guessed that if this all kept up, she wouldn't need to be a vampire to turn her humanity off; the world had done that for her.

Shaking her head clear of those morbid thoughts, Bonnie tried to focus on the dresses she was shifting through. Prom was tomorrow and Bonnie still didn't have a dress. She knew she should have found a way to make time earlier this week, but again, the supernatural world had other matters to attend to. It felt to Bonnie that here lately she had had to spend every waking moment with Silas/Shane. Even during classes, Silas had her practicing expression; impersonating a student, a teacher, or even the principal once, he was drilling her more and more to get ahold of the power she could truly posses. She understood why he was being so tough on her: she was the only one who could drop the veil to the other side completely. Still, it didn't mean she didn't enjoy her Silas/Shane free moments, when she could attempt to pretend she had everything under control in her life.

She was getting frustrated now, Caroline and her had been in the shop for over half and hour, and Bonnie still hadn't seen one dress she could think she'd want to try on. Of course the fact she had been zoning in and out the whole experience probably did not help her case. She sighed and went back to the very beginning of the first rack, determined that she would keep her mind in the now and actually look at the dresses this round, else face Caroline's wrath when Caroline finished getting the final adjustments on her dress.

Finally after passing over a few dresses, Bonnie found one she'd like to try on when Caroline came out of the fitting room.

"So what do you think?" She asked twirling around slowly enough so Bonnie could get the full effect of the dress.

"I think I have one hot date," Bonnie replied appreciatively, rather envious of the fact that she didn't get to go dress shopping the day Caroline and Elena picked out that dress.

As Caroline looked at herself appreciatively from all different angles, Bonnie couldn't help but notice something sparkling on her wrist. Either that hadn't been there earlier, or Bonnie was finally starting to completely lose her mind.

"That is a really beautiful bracelet, can I see?" she asked. She saw Caroline stiffen a little, but she quickly shook that thought when Caroline started walking towards her in Caroline's typical bubbly way so that Bonnie could get a better look at the bling.

Bonnie took Caroline's wrist in her hands and flipped it every which way until she was absolutely 100% sure that it was real; because in no way could Bonnie think of anyone Caroline was related that had that kind of money, and she was highly doubtful this was a family air loom of Cares'.  
"Who gave it to you?"

It was a great question, and Caroline knew if situations were reversed she'd be asking the exact same question, after all this was a real diamond bracelet. Correction, a real vintage diamond bracelet… well according to the gift-giver, whom she wouldn't be surprised at all if he just bought it for her and made up some lame story so she wouldn't feel as bad having the darn thing. Typical.

She didn't quite know how to respond though, she had only brought the bracelet to see how it'd look with the rest of her jewelry and the dress, determined she'd find a million and one reasons _not _to wear it. Of course, after staring at whole ensemble with it, she knew she had only been fooling herself in thinking that the probably thousands of dollars bracelet wouldn't just bring every bit of elegance she was striving to have. Heck, she had half a mind to go raid his house for a necklace and earring set that could equally shine with the item on her wrist. She had completely forgotten that aside from herself and Klaus this bracelet was new as she went to go show Bonnie how amazing she looked.

She debated momentarily about lying to her, but of course anyone with a brain would know that this isn't exactly a cheap gift one would so crassly give away, nor was it imitation anything.

Instead, she replied vaguely with, "A friend." She knew it was a rather lame reply, but it wasn't a lie. After all, the gift giver and herself were becoming friends, well whatever the loosest interpretation of the word would be.

"Care…" Bonnie started hesitantly, refusing to believe where her mind was leading this, "Did Klaus give you that?"

Both of them very well knew that if ever there were a person to give a gift like that, it'd be him. Caroline's silence was answer enough for her. Bonnie knew, along with anyone else in this town that had eyes, that Klaus had a soft spot for Caroline; there was, after all, a reason Caroline was volun-told to be the distraction. But for Caroline to actually be wearing something from him, for no apparent reason, as Klaus wasn't there, that crossed a line that Bonnie didn't understand. Did Caroline feel something other than udder disdain towards the man who drove Tyler out of town, not to mention killed so many? No, that couldn't be, could it?  
"Would you like to explain why you're wearing something from him." She stated, not really giving Caroline to deflect the question, she was going to answer it, end of discussion.

Caroline took a deep breath, knowing that this was going to turn into a rather long arduous afternoon if she didn't diffuse the situation. She decided to start with how she got the bracelet the first time. How after Klaus had ordered Tyler to bite her, he had found her, she omitted the detail of Klaus being invited in her house, and showed a modicum of compassion when he realized it was her birthday. She then went on to explain how when she woke up the next day feeling 100% normal, she had found a box next to her bed with the bracelet in it.

She finished off the story with a shrug.

"I figured that after all he had put me through, Christ he almost sacrificed me in that altar thing, that I deserved some kind of repayment. So I kept it." She also omitted the part where she later threw the present back at him, as well as the part where Klaus found a rather endearing way of giving the bracelet back to her.

It had been his way of asking her to prom. After they had finished doing as much as they both humanly and supernaturally could do to get the gym ready, he had politely asked if he could walk her home. As it was rather late and she didn't have her car due to hitching a ride with Bonnie in the morning (a new everyday ritual founded for the two of them to have some girl time together) she accepted his offer. About halfway to her house, he veered them slightly off course to a rather secluded, but still decently lit, area. He then proceeded to ask, in that annoyingly sexy accent of his, if she would "be as kind as" to let him escort her to the prom, finishing off with a rather cliché "take this as a token of my appreciation…" while sliding the bracelet back on her wrist before she could even react. He finished the whole ordeal with a cocky grin. Even if this wasn't the deal they had made, Caroline hated to admit that she would have said yes. Which of course, he was fully aware of.

Best to omit that part, she thought to herself.

"Vindictive with a hint of self-righteousness," Bonnie nodded in approval, "I like it."

Caroline turned fully towards her, "Okay, where's your dress? As my friend date I forbid you to show up naked to prom. It's for your own good," she finished off; pointing at her friend with what she hoped was a stern face.

She hadn't told Klaus yet about her friend date plans; it wasn't technically in their agreement that they would go exclusively together after all. She figured she'd work out all the details whilst at the prom, it's not like they've never seen her with Klaus at a dance.

As Bonnie went to show her the possible dress candidates, they both heard the door open and saw none other than Elena and Rebekah entering the boutique.

"Nice dress," Elena said, malice lacing her every word, "I wonder who had such great taste as to pick it out?"  
"Obviously not you, as you have no taste, and my dear brother hadn't asked me dress opinions as of late…" Rebekah interjected.

"You did, when we were still friends." Caroline replied coldly, both her and Bonnie heading towards the fitting room in order to get Caroline's dress off faster so that the two of them could leave. They'd find Bonnie a dress elsewhere.

"Oh don't mind us, we are here for the same reason you two are: We need prom dresses," Elena called out to them. Caroline heard the two girls giggle as if what Elena said was some kind of inside joke.

Bonnie and Caroline were out the door of the boutique in less than three minutes, ignoring the snide remarks given by Rebekah and Elena. Caroline had had to leave her dress there as there was still some last minute tailoring that needed to be done before she would wear it tomorrow.

Getting in the car and driving to another shop far across town, the two girls said nothing. There was nothing to say, they both missed their friend dearly and were still coming to terms with this new girl running around in Elena's body.

Sometimes Klaus's offer of escaping this place sounds like the best idea in the world, Caroline thought to herself. As she turned up the radio, it was all the she had to keep herself from having a mental breakdown and turning to car around. Right now she needed more than anything to be comforted, and she loathed the fact that the only person she truly wanted to be held by was Niklaus.

What was happening to her?

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**1900 words! I wish I could go on but I am experiencing bad carpal tunnel from all the typing! More soon!  
Feel free to praise of constructively critique, I know I have a few logic fallacies, but I'm working on it! **


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